Now that the state government appears to have bowed to public pressure and frozen the introduction of casinos in Meghalaya, the attention of the opposition Trinamool Congress has now turned to the moral threat of online gambling.
Even though the state government was at pains to point out that the casinos would be off limits to local punters, opposition from church groups, opposition parties and pressure groups was unrelenting. The TMC now fears that other aspects of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act could pave the way for moral degradation of the youth.
Umroi MLA and opposition chief whip George Lyngdoh is concerned that the legislation speaks not only of casinos but also online betting, which could have far more serious implications.
“It will have wide ranging implications on our youth. The government will be unable to prevent the youth [from gambling online] or to track exactly which citizens will access online gaming and betting platforms,” Lyngdoh said.
The government, for its part, argues that many of these gambling activities are already available to the public but that the legislation will regulate them and, perhaps more importantly, allow the exchequer to earn money by slapping a tax on them.
However, despite the TMC’s fervent opposition to the gambling law, it is curious to note that it did not support the move by North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, of the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), to repeal the act.
Nongkrem legislator and advisor to the Chief Minister Lambor Malngiang had also urged the government to repeal the legislation.
